U.S. remains “very concerned” over Egypt

Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - 01:26

July 3 - The United States remains “very concerned” over the unrest in Egypt, the U.S. State Department said shortly before the Egyptian army suspended the constitution and called for a temporary technocratic government. Mana Rabiee reports.

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Tense and fast moving.
That's the way U.S. State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki, on Wednesday, described events on the ground in Egypt -- shortly before the army suspended the constitution and called for a temporary technocratic government.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN JEN PSAKI SAYING:
"We believe that all sides need to take steps to talk with each other, to engage with each other, to lower the level of violence and call for an end to the violence and we are hopeful that that is something that can happen."
Sweeping mass protests culminated in Wednesday's stand-off in Cairo between the armed forces and Islamist President Mohamed Mursi.
The night before, the embattled president made a televised speech asking Egyptians to resist what he called a "military coup".
(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN JEN PSAKI SAYING:
"We did, of course watch or monitor the speech from last evening and felt there was an absence of significant, specific steps laid out in President Mursi's speech. We had said that he must do more to be truly responsive and representative to the justified concerns, expressed by the Egyptian people."
The army has called on Egyptians to avoid violence and bloodshed during the period of transition -- which they say will include a political roadmap towards new elections.